Coming off back-to-back NCAA Division III National Championships, the Virginia Wesleyan softball team has been focused on just one thing — winning the next game.

So far, so good.

“Expectation internally is that we should never lose a game,” said VWU head coach Brandon Elliott. “I know that sounds unrealistic and it’s not the way you’re supposed to talk in sports, but we share that as a coaching staff and the girls agree with that, as well.”

For the fourth straight year, the Marlins are the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Champions after defeating Randolph-Macon in the tournament final, 8-2, Monday morning at the James I. Moyer Sports Complex in Salem, Virginia.

After dropping the second game of the tournament to RMU, the Marlins worked their way through four elimination games before topping the Yellow Jackets 4-0 in the rematch to force a winner-take-all finale.

In the championship, RMU plated two runs on four hits in the top of the first inning to hold their only lead of the day. The Marlins responded shortly after with six runs in the bottom of the second. Jessica Goldyn and Jessica Lindsay earned a pair of walks with one out and Maria Weddle singled to load the bags for Danielle Stewart, who used a good at-bat to collect another walk and usher the first Marlin run in. Beth Ford would make it 2-0 in the next at-bat as her single through the left side plated Goldyn.

With the bases still loaded, Madison Glaubke chopped a hard grounder that the third basemen flubbed, allowing two Marlin runners to reach unearned. Kaylah Duplain would be responsible for the final two runs of the frame, singling to left center. Randolph-Macon issued another bases loaded walk in the fifth to make it 7-2 and Goldyn would single home Krissy D'Arco in the sixth for the final VWU score.

Mindset

“They don’t ever expect to lose,” said Elliott.

And the Marlins don’t lose often. 

With the win, VWU notched its third consecutive 40-win year (40-4), its 12th ODAC title in program history and has earned an automatic bid to the Division III NCAA Championship.

The driving force behind the Marlins’ run this past three seasons has been All-American pitcher Hanna Hull. The junior southpaw, a seven-time ODAC Pitcher of the Week honoree this season, recently hit a benchmark only a few in DIII ever have.

In a 5-0 win over Ferrum, Hull sat down 15 Panthers, coming within just a single hit batter of a perfect game. With those 15 strikeouts, she surpassed the 1,000 career strikeout mark, making her just the 25th player in DIII history to do so. She currently ranks fifth in active players across all Divisions for total career strikeouts (1,005).

With two national championships under her belt, Hull’s approach has changed a bit, although the hitters she’s been striking out these past three seasons might not have noticed.

“[I] definitely had a different mindset freshman year,” said Hull. “People didn’t see it, but I was very timid very nervous a lot but kind of got in the groove.” 

“I think I’ve gotten smarter as well,” Hull added. “You get smarter, not with just what you throw but mentally with what to throw in what count.”

Hull notched her 27th win of the year in the circle in the championship win over RMU, striking out four batters in the process and was tabbed the ODAC Championship’s Most Outstanding Player for the third year in a row.

Joining Hull on the All-Tournament Team squad was Katelyn Biando, Jessica Lindsay, Maria Wedle, Kaylah Duplain, Julia Sinnett and Madison Glaubke. 

Elliott sees some differences in this year’s team compared to his prior squads. 

“[This team] is very young — [the] last three weeks have really come together, and you can see it’s starting click,” said Elliott. “We really haven't had a set lineup this season, which is the first time in my career that’s happened.”

“The tradition doesn’t change but the culture does,” said Elliott. “It’s a testament to the depth of this team.”

Hull echoed her coach’s feelings. 

“This team is different than our last couple teams,” said Hull. “We’re deep - we’ve always had great players, but we have so many players that can do so many great things and can play so many different positions.”

The Marlins will now have to wait a full week to see who they will be playing in the NCAA Championship. The Selection Show will take place next Monday, May 6.